Frugaling

Save more, live well, give generously

  • Home
  • Start Here
  • Popular
    • Archives
  • Recommended
  • Contact
  • Save Money
    • Lifestyle Downgrade
    • Save Money with Mindfulness
    • Save at Starbucks
    • Psychological Trick To Reduce Your Online Shopping
    • Best Freebies
  • Minimalism
    • 8 TED Talks To Become A Minimalist
    • We Rent This Life
    • Everything Must Go
    • Lifestyle Downgrade
    • The Purchase Paradox: Wanting, Until You Own It
    • Nothing In My Pockets
  • Social Justice
    • Destroy The 40-Hour Workweek
    • Too Poor To Protest: Income Inequality
    • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
    • Hunter Gatherers vs. 21st Century Desk-sitters
  • Make Money
    • Make $10k in 10 Months
    • Monetize Your Blog
    • Side Hustle for Serious Cash
  • Loans
    • 5 Rules To Follow Before Accepting Student Loans
    • Would You Marry Me?
    • Should I Have a Credit Card If I’m In Debt?
    • $50k in Scholarships in 70 Minutes

How to save money on transportation + a FREE MOT offer!

By Frugaling Leave a Comment

Share This:

save money car

When it comes to saving money, tackling the big ticket items is one of the best things you can do. Sure, saving a few pennies here and there is great, and frugality should be encouraged. But nothing will have a greater impact on your finances than tackling the “big three”: housing, transportation, and food. Today, let’s talk about the different ways you can save money on transportation.

The first obvious one is to not have a car at all! Yes, some will find it ludicrous, but think about it. Every month, you are spending on insurance, petrol, your car is depreciating every time you use it, and losing value. Add to that repairs, maintenance, MOTs, and a car loan if you bought it on credit, and it is easily an expense of a few hundred pounds every month. “Yes, but I need it to go to work”. I hear you. How about looking for a job closer to home, that you can cycle or even walk to?

Maybe you’ll make a little less money, but your quality of life would vastly improve, and the car savings may even mean you might come ahead.

Another suggestion is to get rid of your second car if both you and your partner have one. A two car household is rarely a necessity, and rather a matter of convenience. What if you pool errands and optimise the use of just one car? Limit your driving to going to work, or to weekends?

You can generally rent a car for about £50 for a whole weekend if and when you need one, which is cheaper than a month of parking in many cities!

If you really need a vehicle, let’s see the different lines of budget and how to save on them. Petrol is usually the biggest recurring expense. You can save by using loyalty cards from supermarket and petrol stations, and collecting rewards and discount vouchers. There are online sites that will tell you which is the cheapest station next to you. Try to fill up on your way to work and not make a special detour just to fill your tank.

Insurance can easily be challenged online thanks to online comparison sites. In just a few clicks, they will let you know what is the best deal for your insurance needs and how you can switch provider.

Be religious with oil changes and follow the manufacturer’s scheduled maintenance recommendations to a T. Better safe than sorry. If you delay maintenance, you will have problems sooner or later, and fixing them will be expensive. Check your tires and change them regularly for safe driving and petrol efficiency. In short, plan ahead and make a calendar note to follow the schedule.

Same thing goes for your MOT. A Halfords Autocentre survey has revealed that 53% of motorists are unsure when their MOT is due. That can result in a fine if you miss the date. And now, there are no more excuses because Halfords Autocentre is offering a FREE MOT to all its customers. All you have to do is buy something there, that can be as small as a 40p bulb, and you get a free MOT from Halfords. Click here to learn more about the free MOT offer.

Last, let’s discuss repairs and breakdowns. A breakdown cover is not too expensive, and if your car is more than a few years old, this is something you should consider buying, as it is likely you might have a problem. Check with your bank first as some credit cards already include breakdown cover for free.

If time comes that you are in need of unexpected repairs, ask around for recommendations. Better find a good professional that will do a solid job, than a cheap fix that will take you back to the mechanic’s two weeks later.

 

Owning a car does not have to be that expensive. How do you save on motoring costs?

 

Share the wealth:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Money

Join the Conversation: Cancel reply

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe

Best Of

  • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
    The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
  • 5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)
    5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)
  • I Am John Schmoll, Founder Of Frugal Rules, And This Is How I Work
    I Am John Schmoll, Founder Of Frugal Rules, And This Is How I Work
  • Starbucks Reserve Coffee: A Symptom Of Income Inequality
    Starbucks Reserve Coffee: A Symptom Of Income Inequality
  • Stop Dehumanizing The Poor, Homeless
    Stop Dehumanizing The Poor, Homeless
  • How Much Could A Lifestyle Downgrade Save You?
    How Much Could A Lifestyle Downgrade Save You?

Recent Posts

  • How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
  • How To Live Stream Your Art
  • 5 Fun Summer Activities on a Budget
  • How to Pay Off Medical Debt
  • 5 Ways to Save Money Before a New Baby

Search

Archives

  • June 2023 (1)
  • May 2023 (2)
  • January 2023 (1)
  • March 2022 (3)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • October 2021 (2)
  • August 2021 (4)
  • July 2021 (5)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • May 2021 (2)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (2)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (3)
  • June 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (2)
  • April 2020 (1)
  • February 2020 (2)
  • January 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (1)
  • November 2019 (5)
  • September 2019 (4)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • May 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (3)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (3)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • September 2018 (2)
  • July 2018 (1)
  • June 2018 (2)
  • May 2018 (1)
  • April 2018 (5)
  • March 2018 (6)
  • February 2018 (4)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • December 2017 (10)
  • November 2017 (3)
  • July 2017 (2)
  • June 2017 (5)
  • May 2017 (2)
  • April 2017 (8)
  • March 2017 (4)
  • February 2017 (3)
  • January 2017 (2)
  • December 2016 (2)
  • November 2016 (4)
  • October 2016 (2)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (4)
  • July 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (3)
  • May 2016 (3)
  • April 2016 (4)
  • March 2016 (5)
  • February 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (2)
  • December 2015 (3)
  • November 2015 (5)
  • October 2015 (5)
  • September 2015 (4)
  • August 2015 (6)
  • July 2015 (8)
  • June 2015 (6)
  • May 2015 (14)
  • April 2015 (14)
  • March 2015 (13)
  • February 2015 (12)
  • January 2015 (15)
  • December 2014 (10)
  • November 2014 (5)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (7)
  • August 2014 (12)
  • July 2014 (11)
  • June 2014 (12)
  • May 2014 (16)
  • April 2014 (13)
  • March 2014 (13)
  • February 2014 (9)
  • January 2014 (20)
  • December 2013 (9)
  • November 2013 (18)
  • October 2013 (15)
  • September 2013 (11)
  • August 2013 (11)
  • July 2013 (27)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (16)

Best Of

  • The New Rich: How $250k A Year Became Middle Class
  • 5 Tricks To Save Money At Starbucks (Updated)
  • I Am John Schmoll, Founder Of Frugal Rules, And This Is How I Work

Recent Posts

  • How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
  • How To Live Stream Your Art
  • 5 Fun Summer Activities on a Budget

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in